Sean Langman’s Reichel/Pugh 69 Moneypenny is the overall winner of the 2022 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.
This is Langman’s third win on IRC in the race which he now sponsors, as Managing Director of Noakes Group.
He won on Grundig Xena (2001) and Grundig (2003), also winning Line Honours in three consecutive years (Grundig Xena – 2001; Grundig – 2002, 2003).
Moneypenny took the lead on IRC after finishing on Monday afternoon (local time), with the 52-foot boats her most likely challengers.
But they came and went, with the remaining contenders also unable to bridge the gap.
Moneypenny finished 24 minutes ahead of Matt Donald and Chris Townsend’s TP52 Gweilo (skippered by Peter Merrington) on corrected time, while Gordon Ketelbey’s TP52 Zen was a further two minutes back in third place.
“We were right on the pace from the get go,” Langman said. “It was very difficult to get out of the Harbour and we picked that quite nicely.
“We let the boat do what the boat does. It really enjoys those conditions, upwind, and waterline reaching, where the other boats aren’t planing.
“Everything we’ve done was to maximise its performance for a race like this. It’s really nice, and odd, to win your own race.”
Langman applauded his crew, which included navigator Matthew Humphries, Olympic silver medallist and Australia SailGP Team’s Nina Curtis, Pierre Ainscow, Josh Alexander, Geoff Bauchop, Justin Ferris, Tom Maidment, Josh Porebski, Ty Oxley and Keagan York.
“It’s by far the best crew I’ve ever sailed with in my life,” he said. “We’ve got quite a lot of pros on board, mixed with some longstanding, long suffering mates.
“I’m happy for them, especially for Josh Alexander, who has stuck with me through thick and thin.”
Moneypenny also won on ORCi, ahead of Hamilton Island Wild Oats (Mark Richards) and Ausreo (Ian Creak).
She takes the early lead in the 2022/23 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, which features six races, culminating in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Langman lifted the Peter Rysdyk Memorial Trophy, awarded to the overall winner on IRC, at the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Prizegiving.
